Deciding on Rhinoplasty: What to Consider

May 2, 2014

When deciding whether or not rhinoplasty is right for you, it’s important to look at the issue holistically. This surgery isn’t for everyone, and not every surgeon out there is qualified to perform it. Talk to your surgeon before the procedure to get an idea of what you can expect from it and check his or her answers against your own expectations. If you’re getting the surgery for cosmetic reasons, it’s important not to rush into it. Making a snap decision now can mean future surgeries to correct results you’re unhappy with. Or it can mean a surgeon without the experience needed to perform the procedure right the first time.

What Are Your Expectations?

Having realistic expectations for the results of your surgery is essential. But, what are realistic expectations? One way you can determine whether or not what you’re hoping to get out of the procedure coincides with what the surgeon can actually do is to look at photos of past patients. You’ll get an idea of the typical results from that surgeon and whether they match up with what you hope for or not.

It’s important to understand that a nose that looks great on someone else’s face, such as your cousin’s seeming perfect nose or an actor’s nose, might not work with your facial features. Your surgeon can give you an idea of what type of nose will work best with your features and whether complementary surgery, such as a chin augmentation, might also help you get the results you want.

Another thing to remember when thinking about your new nose is that the goal is improvement, not perfection. No one can achieve perfection – though perfection does depends on one’s definition of the concept — but everyone can have a nose that flatters and complements their face.

What’s Your Health Like?

Take a look at your overall health when making the decision to have rhinoplasty or not. Certain habits, such as smoking, impact your health and thwart your chances as a good candidate for the surgery. Quitting smoking is strongly encouraged before the surgery and surgeons will sometimes not perform rhinoplasty on smokers.

Other conditions can also mean that you’re not an ideal candidate for the surgery. Taking certain medications or having some conditions can slow down your body’s healing or put you at an increased risk for infection. To make sure you’re in the best of health before surgery, your doctor will conduct a full exam and take your medical history.

Can You Take the Time to Fully Recover?

While the surgery itself only takes a few hours and most patients go home the same day, the recovery from rhinoplasty is fairly slow. You’ll need to take it very easy for at least a week, taking time off from school or work. Most people can go back to work or school after the first week, but still need to be very careful with their movements. For example, you’ll need to avoid bumping the nose as it heals and will have to avoid exercising for about a month, or until your surgeon says its OK start back up again.

You might have to adjust some of your habits and fashion choices even after you’re back to work. If you wear glasses, you’ll either need to switch to contacts or find a way to wear them so that they don’t put pressure on your nose for the first six weeks. If you’re typically a T-shirts and pullovers type of person, you’ll want to change things up and switch to button-front tops as the nose heals. That might mean that you need to invest in a few new shirts during your recovery period.

How Will You Choose a Surgeon?

Perhaps the most important thing to think about when deciding on rhinoplasty is who your surgeon will be. You and your surgeon don’t have to become friends, but there should be a level of trust between the two of you. If you find that you can’t communicate what you want clearly to a specific doctor or if you feel that the doctor isn’t listening to you, it’s a good idea to find a different doctor.

In addition, a surgeon’s experience and training should be of utmost importance. The more experience the doctor has with nose shaping surgery, the better, as it means he will have a better understanding of the way the nose works and how to perform the surgery in the best interests of the patient. You also want a surgeon who is board certified, ideally in facial plastic surgery (meaning he/she is also an otolaryngologist) or an experienced plastic surgeon, which means he has completed educational and training requirements.

Dr. Jeffrey Epstein typically performs about five rhinoplasty procedures each week. He’s double board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Whether you are just thinking about rhinoplasty or are ready for surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Epstein to learn more about the procedure today. His practice has two locations, one in Florida and one in New York. In Miami, call (305) 666-5884 for an appointment. Call (212) 759-3484 for an appointment in New York.